Methods of Manufacturing Paint Roller Covers From a Tubular Fabric Sleeve

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing paint roller covers is disclosed in which the paint roller covers are manufactured from a seamless, tubular fabric sleeve having at least one of a backing and a pile made at least in part from a low melt fiber or yarn. The seamless, tubular fabric sleeve is placed onto a cylindrical member, and heat is applied to cause the low melt fiber or yarn in the backing and/or looped ends of the pile to be activated to cause the backing of the seamless, tubular fabric sleeve to remain in a cylindrical configuration. A liquid adhesive is then sprayed on to the integrally formed core member of the tubular fabric sleeve to provide a uniform layer thereon and allowed to cure, further enhancing the rigidity of the integrally formed core member of the tubular fabric sleeve.

IDENTIFICATION OF RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/132,774, filed on Jun. 4, 2008, entitled“Methods of Manufacturing Paint Roller Covers From a Tubular FabricSleeve,” which is in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/100,050, filed on Apr. 9, 2008, entitled“Methods of Manufacturing Paint Roller Covers From a Tubular FabricSleeve,” which is in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/015,612, filed on Jan. 17, 2008, entitled“Methods of Manufacturing Paint Roller Covers From a Tubular FabricSleeve,” each of which patent applications are assigned to the assigneeof the present invention, and each of which patent applications arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of paintroller covers, and more particularly to methods of manufacturing paintroller covers from a seamless, tubular fabric sleeve having at least oneof a backing material and a pile surface constructed at least in part ofa low melt material that forms an integral core member and including aspray adhesive applied to the integral core member to enhance therigidity thereof.

The two inventions which have had the greatest impact on paintapplication are the invention of the paint roller in the 1930's and thedevelopment of water-based paint in the late 1940's. While water-basedpaints are easy to mix, apply, and clean up, there is little doubt thatthe paint roller has been the greatest single time saving factor in thepaint application process, allowing large surfaces to be painted with auniform coat of paint quickly and easily. Typically, paint rollers arecomprised of two components, namely a handle assembly and a paint rollercover for installation onto the handle assembly.

The handle assembly consists of a grip member having a generallyL-shaped metal frame extending therefrom, with the free end of the metalframe having a rotatable support for a paint roller cover mountedthereon. The paint roller cover consists of a thin, hollow cylindricalcore which fits upon the rotatable support of the handle, with a plushpile fabric being secured to the outer diameter of the paint rollercover. The core may be made of either cardboard or plastic material,with which material is used for the core generally being determinedbased upon the selling price of the paint roller cover. The pile fabricis traditionally applied as a strip which is helically wound onto theouter surface of the core with adjacent windings of the fabric stripbeing located close adjacent each other to provide the appearance of asingle continuous pile fabric covering on the core.

Typically, the pile fabric is a dense knitted pile fabric, which may beknitted from natural fibers such as wool or mohair, synthetic fiberssuch as polyester, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, or rayon, or from ablend of natural and synthetic fibers. The knitting is typicallyperformed on a circular sliver knitting machine, which produces atubular knitted backing or base material with a knit-in pile in tubularsegments which are approximately fifty-eight inches (1473 millimeters)in circumference by thirty to fifty yards (27.43 meters to 45.728meters) long (depending on fabric weight).

Generally, sliver knitting is a knitting process which locks individualpile fibers directly into a lightweight knit backing or base material ina manner wherein the pile fibers extend from one side of the knit basematerial. The knit base material itself is made from yarn, which may beknitted in a single jersey circular knitting process on a circularknitting machine, with closely packed U-shaped tufts of the fibers beingknitted into the knit base material which anchors them in the completedpile fabric. The free ends of the fibers extend from one side of theknit base material to provide a deep pile face. The knit base materialis typically made of synthetic yarns, with the pile being made of adesired natural or synthetic fiber, or a blend of different fibers.

Such fabrics are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,791,741,to Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,702, to Schmidt et al., U.S. Pat. No.3,226,952, to Cassady, U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,680, to Daniel, U.S. Pat. No.3,894,409, to Clingan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,286, to Abler et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,042, to Lumb, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,668, toSinykin, all of which patents are hereby incorporated herein byreference. Sliver knit high pile fabrics have been widely used for manyyears in the manufacture of imitation fur fabrics, and also have founduse, for example, as linings for overcoats and footwear, as coveringsfor stuffed toys and floors, in applications in pet beds, case liners,boot and slipper liners, medical pads, and blankets, and, of course, ascoverings for paint roller covers.

The components of the knitted fabric are a yarn, which is used to knitthe fabric's knit base material, and fibers which are supplied in a“sliver” rope, which consists of fibers which are all longitudinallyoriented in a rope which is typically less than three inches (76millimeters) in diameter. The fibers are loose fibers of either a singletype or a uniform blend of multiple types of fibers. The fiber mix willdetermine the performance, density, texture, weight, patterning, andcolor of the finished pile fabric.

The fibers are typically blown together in an air chamber to blend them,and then are carded in carding machines that “comb” the fibers to alignthem in parallel with each other. The fibers are then gathered into asoft, thick rope which is called “sliver” (which is the derivation forthe term “sliver knit”) or “roving.” The yarn and the sliver aresupplied to the circular knitting machine, which typically has eighteenheads and produces a tubular knit pile fabric which is approximatelyfifty-eight inches (1473 millimeters) in circumference. (Thus, when thetubular knit pile fabric is slit longitudinally, the fabric isapproximately fifty-eight inches (1473 millimeters) wide.)

Such knitting machines are well known in the art, and are illustrated inU.S. Pat. No. 3,894,407, to Clingan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,637, toThore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,532,780 and 4,592,213, both to Tilson et al.,U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,431,029, 5,546,768, 5,577,402, 5,685,176, and6,016,670, all to Kukrau et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,920, toSchindler et al., all of which patents are hereby incorporated herein byreference. Examples of commercial versions of such knitting machines arethe Model SK-18 Sliver Knitter and the Model SK-18J Sliver Knitter whichare available from Mayer Industries, Inc. of Orangeburg, S.C.

The first commercial circular sliver knitting machine had seven heads,and commercially-available circular knitting machines today have betweenseven and eighteen heads. Eighteen head knitting machines have upwardsof one thousand needles, and produce tubular knitted segments that areapproximately nineteen inches (483 millimeters) in diameter (fifty-eightinches (1473 millimeters) in circumference). All of these circularsliver knitting machines produce tubular knitted pile fabric segmentshaving the pile located on the inside. Such circular sliver knittingmachines are incapable of either producing tubular knitted pile fabricsegments having the pile on the outside or small diameter tubularknitted pile fabric segments.

Following the manufacture of the tubular knitted pile segments on acircular sliver knitting machine, the tubular knitted pile segments areslit longitudinally to produce extended knitted pile segments of fabricwhich are typically fifty-eight inches (1473 millimeters) wide by thirtyto fifty yards (27.43 meters to 45.728 meters) long. These extendedknitted pile segments of fabric are then tensioned longitudinally andtransversely, stretched to a sixty inch (1524 millimeter) width orgreater to guarantee the proper number of two and seven-eighth inch (73millimeter) strips, and back coated (on the non-pile side of the knitbase material) with a stabilized coating composition such as a clearacrylic polymer. The coating composition which is coated onto thenon-pile side of the knit base material is then processed, typically byheat, to stabilize the coated, extended knitted pile segment. Theheating operation dries and bonds the coating composition to the knitbase material, producing a fabric which is essentially lint-free.

The coated, extended knitted pile segment can then be subjected to ashearing operation to achieve a uniform pile length, with the shearedfibers being removed by vacuum, electrostatically, or by any other knownremoval technique. The pile density, the nap length, and the stiffnessof the fibers are varied based upon custom specifications and theparticular characteristics of the paint roller cover that are desired.

The sheared, coated, extended knitted pile segment is then slit into aplurality of two and seven-eighths inch (73 millimeter) wide knittedpile fabric strips, of which there are typically twenty for a sixty inch(1524 millimeter) wide fabric segment. During this slitting operation,the strips may be vacuumed to remove stray fibers and lint. The knittedpile fabric strips are rolled onto a core to produce twenty rolls ofknitted pile fabric strips, each of which is thirty to fifty yards long.These rolls of knitted pile fabric strips may then be shipped to a paintroller cover manufacturer. Alternately, a plurality of standard lengthsof the fabric may be seamed together to produce an extended lengthfabric strip which may be helically wound in consecutive rows upon acore as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,779, U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,121, U.S.Pat. No. 6,902,131, U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,552, and U.S. Pat. No.6,929,203, all to Jelinek et al., all of which patents are herebyincorporated herein by reference.

Both the standard length rolls of knitted pile fabric strips and therolls of extended length knitted pile fabric strips have substantialmaterial costs and labor costs that are incurred in the manufacturingprocess after the circular knitting process. The material costs includethe cost of the coating material, losses due to fly (fly are extrafibers that come loose from the knitted pile fabric), losses during thecutting of the sixty inch (1524 millimeter) wide fabric segment intotwenty knitted pile fabric strips, and seam losses throughout theoperation. The labor costs include the costs to perform the coatingprocess, the brushing, the second pass shearing, and all of thefinishing steps within the traditional sliver knit operation includingslitting and continuously coiling the fabric slits.

Paint roller covers are manufactured by using a hollow cylindrical coremade of cardboard or thermoplastic material which has the knitted pilefabric strip helically wound around the core. During the manufacture ofpaint roller covers, the knitted pile fabric strips are secured to thecore either by using adhesive or epoxy, or by thermally bonding theknitted pile fabric strip in place on a thermoplastic core. For examplesof these manufacturing processes see U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,975, to Garcia(the “'975 Patent”), U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,790, to Sekar (the “'1790Patent”), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,320, to Tams et al. (the “'320Patent”), each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The '975 Patent uses a core that is cut from preformed thermoplastic(e.g., polypropylene) tubular stock. The core is mounted on a rotatingspindle, and a movable carriage mounted at an angle to the spindle feedsa continuous strip of knitted pile fabric onto the core, with thecarriage moving parallel to the spindle in timed relation to itsrotation so that the knitted pile fabric strip is wound on the plasticcore in a tight helix. Also mounted to the movable carriage is a heatsource for heat softening the thermoplastic core just in advance of thepoint where the knitted pile fabric strip is applied to thethermoplastic core, such that the knitted pile fabric is heat bonded tothe thermoplastic core as it is wound thereupon. The bond formed betweenthe knitted pile fabric and the thermoplastic core is a strong one notsubject to separation from exposure to paint solvents.

The '790 Patent uses a core that is formed from a strip (or multiplestrips) of thermoplastic material that is (are) helically wound about astationary mandrel. Alternately, the core may be formed by applyingliquefied thermoplastic material to a drive belt which transfers thethermoplastic material to the mandrel. A layer of adhesive is thenapplied to the outer surface of the core, and the knitted pile fabricstrip is applied to the core by helically winding the knitted pilefabric strip onto the core. Alternately, the paint roller cover mayinstead be made by bonding, in a single step, a knitted pile fabricstrip to a wound strip of thermoplastic material that is wrapped aboutthe mandrel.

The '320 Patent extrudes a cylindrical plastic core through a rotatingextruder head that is cooled, with the outer surface of the core thenbeing plasma treated. The knitted pile fabric strip is secured onto theplasma treated outer surface of the core by extruding thin films offirst and second epoxy resin subcomponents onto the outer surface of thecore as it is extruded, cooled, and plasma treated in a continuousprocess.

Other variations are also known, particularly in technologies relatingto manufacturing pile fabric suitable for use on paint roller covers.For example, instead of using knitted pile fabric, woven pile fabric canbe substituted. Woven pile fabric consists of three yarns—a knit basematerial or warp yarn, a filling or weft yarn, and a pile yarn. Thethreads of warp yarn are held taut and in a parallel array on a loom,and the threads of weft yarn are woven across the threads of warp yarnin an over/under sequence orthogonal to the threads of warp yarn, withthreads of pile yarn being woven into the weave of warp and weft yarnssuch that the threads of pile yarn extend essentially perpendicularlyfrom one side of the fabric. Such woven pile fabric may be processed ina manner similar to that described above with regard to the processingof knitted pile segments of fabric to produce strips of woven pilefabric that can be helically wound onto paint roller cover cores.

However, all paint roller covers manufactured using the methodsdescribed above have a seam. As the strips of fabric are helically woundaround the cores, the fabric strips wrap contiguously around the core,thereby creating a helical seam that is located throughout the cover.The seam inevitably produces a less than optimal paint roller coversince a seam can interfere with the uniform application of paint fromthe paint roller cover. The helical winding process of manufacturing apaint roller cover requires careful attention to contiguous winding.Errors resulting in overlapped fabric or gaps in the contiguous windingprocess often occur, resulting in increased scrap or marketing poorquality covers. Such seams have the potential, particularly with shortnap paint roller covers, to produce a seam mark or stippling effect onthe surface being painted, particularly if the paint being appliedcombines with the seams to produce a more pronounced defectivecharacteristic in the surface being painted.

An examination of prior technology in the paint roller cover artsreveals that this problem has been recognized in the past, with severalsolutions that have been proposed to deal with the challenge presentedby the presence of seams in paint roller covers. The first of these,U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,955, to Barnes et al., which patent is herebyincorporated herein by reference, discloses a paint roller cover madefrom a segment of canvas tubing that has yarn loops sewn therethrough,with the ends of the loops on the outside of the segment of the canvastubing being cut. This approach is certainly far too expensive torepresent a viable solution, and would not compare well to currentlycommercially available paint roller covers in the quality of the paintcoat that could be applied.

Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,877 and U.S. Pat. No.2,752,953, both to Arnold Schmidt, which patents are hereby incorporatedherein by reference, which patents are related and disclose a tubularknitted pile fabric that is stated to have been manufactured on anapparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,849,466, to Moore, which patentis hereby incorporated herein by reference. The apparatus disclosed inMoore, which is hand operated, was stated in several related patents toSannipoli et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,372, U.S. Pat. No. 2,944,588, andU.S. Pat. No. 3,010,867, which patents are hereby incorporated herein byreference) to be capable of manufacturing a seamless tubular knittedsleeve in which the pile is located on the interior of the sleeve,thereby requiring that the sleeve be inverted prior to mounting it on acore to form a paint roller cover. As such, the apparatus disclosed inMoore is incapable of manufacturing a knitted sleeve in which the pileis located on the exterior of the sleeve.

The Sannipoli et al. patents inverted the tubular knitted sleeve bypositioning it within a hollow tube and pulling one end of the tubularknitted sleeve around the end of the tube and pushing successiveportions of the tubular knitted sleeve along the outside of the tube.The Arnold Schmidt '877 patent (which failed to disclose how it invertedthe knitted sleeve with the pile on the interior thereof) disclosed amachine for treating and shearing inverted tubular knitted sleeves, andthe Arnold Schmidt '953 Patent disclosed using the inverted, treated,and sheared tubular knitted sleeves by stretching them and pulling themover a tube or shell to form a paint roller.

The problem that has prevented the inventions of the Arnold Schmidtpatents and the Sannipoli et al. patents from being either practical orcommercially successful is that the process of inverting a tubularknitted sleeve having the pile on the interior of the sleeve inevitablydamages the fabric of the tubular knitted sleeve. When the fabric isinverted, the material of the fabric is deformed due to stretching thatoccurs during the process of inverting the tubular knitted sleeve. Thisdeformation tends to increase the diameter of the tubular knittedsleeve, thus requiring it to be stretched lengthwise to restore it toits former diameter. Not only is this process difficult and expensive,but it also results in variable density of the fabric as well asintroducing the prospect of adhesive or thermoplastic bleed-throughwithin the stitches. Such problems will result in unacceptable productquality in paint roller covers made from this type of fabric.

It has been determined that the inverting approach taught by theSannipoli et al. patents and useable by the Arnold Schmidt patents hasthree drawbacks that make it impracticable. The first drawback of theinverting method is that it requires a high degree of manual operationin that it requires cutting of the tubular knitted sleeves to size andplacement of the tubular knitted sleeves into the tubes of the invertingmachine. The second drawback of the Sannipoli et al. method is that onlyrelatively short length tubular knitted sleeves representing a singlepaint roller cover (typically nine inches (229 millimeters)) can beprocessed at a time, which makes the method inherently unsuitable formass production.

The third, and by far the most serious, drawback of the Sannipoli et al.method is that the process of inverting the tubular knitted sleevesinevitably results in stretching the tubular knitted sleeves so thatthey will not snugly fit on the paint roller cover cores, potentiallycreating creases in a high percentage of them when they are adhesivelysecured to the paint roller cover cores. This results in an unacceptablyhigh percentage of them being defective and necessitating them beingscrapped, resulting in an unacceptably high scrap cost. Predictably, theinventions taught in the Sannipoli et al. patents and the Arnold Schmidtpatents have never found commercial acceptance due to these seriousdisadvantages.

The above-incorporated by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/740,119 discloses a tubular sliver knitted pile fabric which ismanufactured with the sliver pile side facing outwardly rather thaninwardly and with a diameter suitable for mounting on a paint rollercover core in a seamless manner. The above-incorporated by referenceU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/116,022 discloses a tubular knitfabric which is manufactured with a cut pile made of yarn which pilefaces outwardly rather than inwardly and with a diameter suitable formounting on a paint roller cover core in a seamless manner.

The above-incorporated by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/015,612 discloses a method of manufacturing paint roller covers fromthe tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve by initially placing the tubularknitted pile fabric sleeve upon the outside of a thin hollow cylindricalmounting tube, providing an adhesive bonding material on the exteriorsurface of a core member, and inserting the core member into theinterior of the mounting tube. By withdrawing the mounting tube from theknitted pile fabric sleeve while maintaining the respective positions ofthe knitted pile fabric sleeve and the core member, the knitted pilefabric sleeve is installed onto the exterior surface of the core memberand retained thereupon by the adhesive bonding material. The pile fabriccovered core member is then finished into paint roller covers by cuttingit to a desired size, combing and shearing the pile fabric to a desiredlength, beveling the edges of the paint roller covers, and vacuumingstray fibers from the paint roller covers.

The above-incorporated by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/116,022 discloses a method of manufacturing paint roller covers fromeither of the tubular knitted pile fabric sleeves described above byproviding an adhesive bonding material that has a relatively non-tackyouter surface on the exterior surface of the outside of the core member.The knitted pile fabric sleeve is installed onto the exterior surface ofthe core member over the adhesive bonding material. The adhesive bondingmaterial is then rendered tacky, whereupon the knitted pile fabricsleeve becomes adhesively secured by the adhesive bonding material tothe exterior surface of the core member. The pile fabric covered coremember may be finished into paint roller covers by combing and shearingthe pile fabric to a desired length, beveling the edges of the paintroller covers, and vacuuming stray fibers from the paint roller covers.

While these methods of installing tubular knitted pile fabric sleevesonto core members have been found to be quite satisfactory, it isdesirable to provide still other methods by which a paint roller covermay be manufactured from a tubular pile fabric. It is further desirablethat the knitted pile fabric need not be stretched during themanufacturing process, and that the manufacturing process ensure thatthe knitted pile fabric will not have any wrinkles or other surfacedefects introduced therein during the manufacturing process. It is alsodesirable that the tubular pile fabric, which is manufactured with thepile side out, need not be inverted during the process of manufacturinga paint roller cover from the tubular pile fabric.

It is highly desirable that the manufacturing method results in anacceptable pile which extends from an acceptably rigid core that can beinstalled on and used with any conventional paint roller frame. In orderto facilitate the mass manufacture of paint roller covers, it is alsodesirable that the method facilitate either the manufacture of a paintroller cover of a desired finished length, or the manufacture of anextended length segment from which can be cut segments of any desiredsize for finishing as paint roller covers. It is also desirable thatboth tubular sliver knitted pile fabric and tubular knitted yarn cutpile fabric as well as a number of different backing materials can beused in the manufacture of paint roller covers.

The method used to manufacture a paint roller cover from the tubularpile fabric must result in a construction which is both durable and longlasting, and which, when accomplished, should yield a paint roller coverof superior quality. In order to enhance the market appeal of the methodof the present invention, it should also minimize the cost ofmanufacture of paint roller covers when compared to conventional methodsof manufacturing paint roller covers to thereby afford it the broadestpossible market. Finally, it is also desirable that all of the aforesaidadvantages and aspirations of the paint roller cover manufacturingmethod of the present invention be achieved without incurring anysubstantial relative disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages and limitations of the background art discussed aboveare overcome by the present invention. With this invention, a method ofmanufacturing paint roller covers is provided which forms asubstantially rigid, integral core for the paint roller cover. Inparticular, at least one of the knit base material of a tubular knittedpile fabric segment, the pile of the tubular knitted pile fabric segmentor both the knit base material and the pile of the tubular knitted pilefabric segment are comprised, at least in part, of a low melt yarn. Thetubular knitted pile fabric segment is preferably knitted in a pileside-out manner. The pile may include sliver fibers, cut pile yarnsegments or a combination of both. The low melt component of the backingyarn and/or the cut pile yarn used in the tubular knitted pile fabricsegment of the present invention preferably comprises bicomponentfibers.

Bicomponent fibers are comprised of two polymers that have differentchemical and/or physical properties and which are extruded from the sameextrusion device with both polymers contained within the same fiber.Most commercially available bicomponent fibers are configured with theirtwo constituent polymers arranged either in a sheath-core arrangement, aside-by-side arrangement (also referred to as a bilateral arrangement),an eccentric sheath-core arrangement (which is a geometric variation ofsheath-core construction), a matrix-fibril arrangement (also referred toas an inlands-in-the-sea arrangement), and a segmented pie arrangement(also referred to as a citrus arrangement). The bicomponent fibers usedby the present invention are “low melt” bicomponent thermal binderfibers that utilize polymer combinations such as a sheath-corearrangement in which the core material has a relatively higher meltingpoint than the sheath material. These alternatives are examples, sincemany other low-melt configurations can also be manufactured. (It will beappreciated that the low melt yarn can be made from more than twopolymer constituents, as is well known to those skilled in the art, andas described below.)

Such low melt bicomponent fibers are available from Fiber InnovationTechnology, Inc. of Johnson City, Tenn., and from Kuraray Co., Ltd, ofTokyo, Japan. Typical higher melt (which may be used in a core)materials are polyester (most preferred) or polypropylene, and typicalsheath materials are polyethylene terephthalate (PET, most preferred),polyethylene, and copolyester. Typical lower melt (which may be used ina sheath) melting points of bicomponent fibers may be betweenapproximately 121 and 260 degrees Centigrade (between 250 and 500degrees Fahrenheit).

The backing yarn and the pile fiber/yarn used by the present inventionmay thus be made of such low melt bicomponent fibers; such yarn shall bereferred to herein as “bicomponent fiber yarn.” Alternately, the backingyarn and/or pile fiber may instead be a bicomponent yarn which is madeof two different types of fibers or yarns (yarns can be manufacturedusing different types of fibers or ring spun with two different types ofyarn), one of which fiber or yarn types has a lower melting point thanthe other fiber or yarn type; this yarn shall be referred to herein as“bicomponent yarn.” The bicomponent fiber yarn and the bicomponent yarnshall collectively be referred to herein as “low melt yarns.”

Consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention, the term“low melt yarn” can encompass yarns including at least one low meltfilament or strand, as described above, and also including a pluralityof additional high melt or non-low melt filaments or strands that arecombined together by methods well known to those skilled in the art. Theadditional high melt/non-low melt filaments or strands may be comprisedof any suitable natural or synthetic fiber suitable for combination withthe low melt fiber or strand. Suitable materials include but are notlimited to nylon, rayon, polypropylene, polyester, polyester-cottonblends, cotton, wool and acrylic. Other materials may be used so long asthey are compatible with the selected low melt yarn and the finalapplication of the tubular knitted pile fabric segment. In this way, thepresent invention is not limited to low melt yarns having only twocomponents and includes low melt yarns having multiple strandcomponents.

It will be appreciated that the ratio of low melt component to high meltcomponent used in a particular low melt yarn encompassed by the presentinvention, will vary depending on the particular end use application ofthe tubular knitted pile fabric segment. Where a more rigid integralcore is to be formed, a low melt yarn having a low melt fiber or strandcomposition that is substantially equal to or greater than the high meltcomponent composition can be used. For applications where the integralcore of the tubular knitted pile fabric segment may be furtherreinforced, a low melt fiber or strand composition that is less than thehigh melt component composition can be used.

The linear mass density of the backing yarn, the pile fibers and/or cutyarn segments used by the present invention may vary betweenapproximately 150 denier and approximately 1500 denier, with a preferredlinear mass density being between approximately 560 denier andapproximately 1200 denier. It will be understood, however, that thelinear mass density of each fiber or strand of the bicomponent ormulti-component low melt yarn will be determined by the specificfiber/strand selected, and is a matter of design choice, depending atleast in part on the knitting equipment utilized and the end useapplication of the tubular knitted pile fabric segment.

The use of low melt yarns for the base of a sliver knit fabric isdiscussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,668, to Sinykin, which patent isassigned to the assignee of the present invention, and which patent ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This patentused heat to activate the low melt material in the base, heating thesliver knit fabric to a temperature for a sufficient period of time topermit the low melt material to melt about the central and/orintermediate portions of the sliver fibers. The sliver knit fabric wasthen cooled so that the low melt material returned to a hardened stateand captured a portion of the sliver fibers to lock them to the base ofthe fabric. This represents a substantially different use of bicomponentfibers than that made by the present invention, as will become evidentbelow.

The low melt yarn backing together with the low melt sliver fibers, lowmelt cut pile yarn segments formed from a pile yarn, or a combination ofboth are knitted into the tubular knitted pile fabric segment. Themanufacture of a tubular knitted pile fabric with sliver fibers isdisclosed in the above-incorporated by reference U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/740,119, which produces a tubular knitted sliver pile fabricwith the pile side facing outwardly and with a diameter suitable forconversion into a paint roller cover (paint roller covers typically havean inner diameter of approximately one and one-half inches (38millimeters)). The manufacture of a tubular knitted pile fabric with cutpile yarn segments formed from a pile yarn is disclosed in theabove-incorporated by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/116,022, which produces a tubular knitted cut pile fabric with thepile side facing outwardly and with a diameter suitable for conversioninto a paint roller cover (paint roller covers typically have an innerdiameter of approximately one and one-half inches (38 millimeters). Themanufacture of a tubular knitted pile fabric with a combination ofsliver fibers and cut pile yarn segments formed from a pile yarn isdisclosed in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/249,455, which isincorporated herein by reference, and which produces a tubular knittedcut pile fabric with the pile side facing outwardly and with a diametersuitable for conversion into a paint roller cover (paint roller coverstypically have an inner diameter of approximately one and one-halfinches (38 millimeters)). It is understood that the tubular knitted pilefabric segments could be knitted slightly larger or slightly smallerthan the inner diameter of a typical paint roller cover.

Consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention, the lowmelt yarn backing together with the low melt sliver fibers, low melt cutpile yarn segments formed from a pile yarn, or a combination of both canbe knitted into a pile side-in configuration to form a tubular knittedpile fabric segment, and then inverted for further processing to formthe paint roller integral core within the tubular knitted pile fabricsegment of the present invention.

The tubular knitted pile fabric is then placed onto a cylindricalmandrel which is the approximate size of the inner diameter of a paintroller cover (typically approximately one and one-half inches (38millimeters)). The cylindrical mandrel may be made, for example, ofsteel (which may optionally have a non-stick coating such as PTFE orsilicone) and has a heating mechanism contained inside which is capableof rapidly heating the outside of the mandrel to a desired temperature.The cylindrical mandrel is heated to the desired temperature, which isless than 343 degrees Centigrade (less than 650 degrees Fahrenheit) orany temperature suitable for activating the low melt yarn. Onetemperature range that may be acceptable is between approximately 121and 218 degrees Centigrade (between 250 and 425 degrees Fahrenheit).This temperature is sufficient to melt the lower melting point componentof the low melt yarn used in the backing or base and is sufficient tomelt the looped ends of any pile fibers also including a low meltcomponent. The temperature is maintained for a period of betweenapproximately five seconds and approximately ninety seconds, preferablyapproximately five to approximately sixty seconds.

The melted lower melting point component of the low melt yarn used inthe backing or base of the tubular knitted pile fabric and the meltedlooped ends of the pile fibers flows into the cylindrical form of theoutside of the cylindrical mandrel. The melted lower melting pointcomponent also flows between the high melt backing loops and the centraland/or intermediate portions of the sliver fibers or the loops of thecut pile yarn segments, and locks the sliver fibers or cut pile yarnsegments into the tubular knitted pile fabric. This greatly reduces thedegree of shedding of pile fibers from the tubular knitted pile fabric.It also converts the backing from a fabric into a unitary cylindricalassembly which, when cooled, will become substantially rigid. Themandrel is then cooled or allowed to cool, after which the rigid,cylindrical pile fabric assembly is removed from the mandrel.

In a first alternate embodiment, one or more layers of a dry adhesivefilm may be first wound on a non-stick mandrel, following which thetubular knitted pile fabric segment is placed over the dry adhesivefilm. The mandrel is then heated to cause the dry adhesive film and thelower melting point component of the low melt yarn used in the backingor base of the tubular knitted pile fabric to melt together with theadhesive bonding material to create an even more rigid cylindricalassembly having a pile surface.

With or without utilizing the layer of dry adhesive, the methods of thepresent invention include applying at least one layer of spray adhesiveon to the cooled, integral core formed by the re-hardened low melt yarnto create an enhanced rigid cylindrical assembly having a pile surface.

The adhesive used for the adhesive layer in the methods of the presentinvention may be two-part or one-part adhesives, and are preferablyprovided in a “liquid” form. As defined herein, a liquid adhesive caninclude compositions that are provided in a liquid or substantiallyliquid, gel, foam and/or liquid emulsion or dispersion form. It will beappreciated that the viscosity of the liquid adhesive will depend on theparticular composition of the adhesive selected, the particular solventsutilized therewith and the desired cured and/or dried properties of theadhesive. Such adhesive compositions can include but are not limited topolyurethane and urethane adhesives, acrylics, epoxies, latex, syntheticlatex, glycerin based compounds, silicone based compounds, other naturalor synthetic polymeric adhesives as known to those skilled in the art,or a combination thereof. Preferably, the spray adhesive, when curedand/or dried, is a substantially waterproof and/or water resistant.

Preferably, the adhesive is a polyurethane composition utilizing anisocynate crosslinking agent, as well known in the art (although othercrosslinking agents can be used with good effect). The polyurethaneadhesive can include one or more additives including catalysts,chain-extenders, stabilizing agents, and plasticizers as are known tothose skilled in the art. In particular, the polyurethane adhesive usedin the present invention can include one or more catalysts including,but not limited to tertiary amines such as triethylenediamine,N-methylmorpholine, N-ethylmorpholine, diethylethanolamine,N-cocomorpholine, 1-methyl-4-dimethylaminoethylpiperazine,3-methoxypropyldimethylamine, N,N,N-trimethylisopropyl propylenediamine,3-diethylamino-propyldiethylamine, dimethylbenzylamine, and the like.Other suitable catalysts are, for example, stannous chloride,dibutyltin-di-2-ethyl hexonate, potassium hexanoate, stannous oxide, aswell as other organometallic compounds known to those skilled in theart.

The adhesive is applied to the cylindrical pile fabric assembly whilethe assembly is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation usinga spray device including a nozzle assembly designed to coat the entiretubular inside surface of the cylindrical pile fabric assembly. As such,the spray device is selected to include a nozzle capable of providing a360 degree circular adhesive spray.

In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the spraydevice is automatically lowered into the vertically disposed cylindricalpile fabric assembly and centered inside the integral core thereof. Thespray nozzle is positioned so that it is substantially aligned with orbelow the bottom end or edge of the cylindrical pile fabric assembly.Once in this position, the spray device is activated and adhesive iscontinuously sprayed onto the inside surface thereof as the spray deviceis vertically moved from the bottom end to the top end of thecylindrical pile fabric assembly. In certain other embodiments of thepresent invention, the spray device can be manually operated, andmanually moved from the bottom end to the top end of the cylindricalpile fabric assembly.

After application of one or more layers of adhesive onto the insidesurface of the cylindrical pile fabric assembly, the adhesive is allowedto cure and/or dry. Drying can occur via air or ambient means, oralternatively, radiant heat (oven dry), ultraviolet radiation and/orradio frequency methods can be used to cure/dry the adhesive layer.

The adhesive-enhanced rigid, cylindrical pile fabric assembly isfinished by combing and shearing the pile fabric to the desired length.The edges of the unfinished paint roller covers are beveled, and anyloose sliver fibers are then vacuumed off. The finishing of the rigid,cylindrical pile fabric assembly may be performed using the MBKMaschinenbau GmbH paint roller cover finishing machine, an EdwardJackson (Engineer) Limited finishing machine, or other equipment custombuilt by individual paint roller cover manufacturers.

It may therefore be seen that the present invention teaches a method bywhich a paint roller cover may be manufactured from tubular knitted pilefabric using a base or backing and/or pile fibers comprising, at leastin part, a low melt yarn and forming a substantially rigid integral coremember, and further enhancing the integral core member using an adhesivecomposition.

The paint roller cover manufacturing method of the present inventionresults in an acceptable pile which extends from an acceptably rigidcore which can be installed on and used with any conventional paintroller frame, or on a frame uniquely designed for the paint rollerutilizing the new core design. The paint roller cover manufacturingmethod of the present invention facilitates either the manufacture of apaint roller cover of a desired finished length, or the manufacture ofan extended length segment from which segments of any desired size canbe cut for finishing as paint roller covers, thereby facilitating themass manufacture of paint roller covers. The paint roller covermanufacturing methods of the present invention can use tubular sliverknitted pile fabric, tubular knitted yarn cut pile fabric, tubularknitted fabric including both sliver knitted pile and yarn cut pile, aswell as a number of different backing materials.

The paint roller cover manufacturing method of the present inventionresults in a construction which is both durable and long lasting, andyields a paint roller cover of superior quality. The paint roller covermanufacturing method of the present invention also reduces the cost ofmanufacturing paint roller covers when compared to conventional methodsof manufacturing paint roller covers by manufacturing paint rollerswithout using a core member, thereby affording it the broadest possiblemarket. Finally, all of the aforesaid advantages and aspirations of thepaint roller cover manufacturing method of the present invention areachieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other advantages of the present invention are best understoodwith reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a segment of tubular paint roller fabricmade according to the teachings of the present invention, showing atubular knit base having sliver fibers extending therefrom, each ofwhich can be constructed, at least in part, of a low melt yarn;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a portion of the tubular paint rollerfabric illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the knitting pattern of the baseyarn and the placement of pile fibers from the sliver into the knitbase;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a segment of tubular cut pile knit paintroller fabric made according to the teachings of the present invention,showing a tubular knit base having cut pile yarn segments extendingtherefrom, each of which can be constructed, at least in part, of a lowmelt yarn;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of the tubular paint rollerfabric illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the knitting pattern of the baseyarn and the placement of cut pile yarn segments into the knit base;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a segment of tubular knit paint rollerfabric made according to the teachings of the present invention, showinga tubular knit base with alternating rows of sliver fiber and cut pileextending therefrom, each of which can be constructed, at least in part,of a low melt yarn;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a portion of the tubular paint rollerfabric illustrated in FIG. 5, showing the knitting pattern of the baseyarn and the placement of tufts of sliver fibers and cut pile yarnsegments into the knit base;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a sheath-core bicomponent fiberhaving a core made of a material that has a higher melting point thanthe material that its sheath is made of;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a side-by-side bicomponent fibershowing opposite sides that are respectively made of materials havingdifferent melting points;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of an eccentric sheath-core bicomponentfiber having a core made of a material that has a higher melting pointthan the material that its sheath;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of a matrix-fibril bicomponent fiberhaving a plurality of segments made of a material that has a highermelting point located within a sheath that is made of a lower meltingpoint material;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of a segmented pie bicomponent fiberhaving alternating wedges made of materials having different meltingpoints;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of a bicomponent yarn showing twodifferent types of fibers, one of which fiber types has a lower meltingpoint than the other fiber type;

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a mandrel heatingassembly having a cartridge heater and a thermocouple located inside acylindrical mandrel;

FIG. 14 is a lateral cross sectional view of the mandrel heatingassembly shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a schematic depiction of a controller that uses the signalfrom the thermocouple illustrated in FIG. 13 to control the cartridgeheater also illustrated in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a schematic isometric depiction showing an end of a tubularknitted pile fabric about to be slid onto an outer non-stick surface ofa hollow cylindrical aluminum heating tube;

FIG. 17 is a schematic isometric depiction of the tubular knitted pilefabric illustrated in FIG. 16, with the tubular knitted pile fabricbeing partially slid onto the outer non-stick surface of the aluminumheating tube;

FIG. 18 is a schematic isometric depiction of the tubular knitted pilefabric illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, with the tubular knitted pilefabric now located upon the outer non-stick surface of the aluminumheating tube;

FIG. 19 is a schematic isometric depiction of the tubular knitted pilefabric and the outer non-stick surface of the aluminum heating tubeillustrated in FIGS. 16 through 18 about to be slid onto the mandrelheating assembly;

FIG. 20 is a schematic isometric depiction of the tubular knitted pilefabric and the outer non-stick surface of the aluminum heating tubeillustrated in FIGS. 16 through 19 located upon the mandrel heatingassembly illustrated in FIG. 19 and being heated;

FIG. 21 is a schematic isometric depiction of the tubular knitted pilefabric that was heated on the aluminum heating tube and the mandrelheating assembly illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20 with the backing fusedinto a rigid cylindrical configuration;

FIG. 22A is an isometric view of an exemplary spray device that can beused to apply one or more adhesive layers to the inside surface of thecylindrical pile fabric assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 22B is an isometric view of a second exemplary spray device thatcan be used to apply one or more adhesive layers to the inside surfaceof the cylindrical pile fabric assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a schematic view of the spray device centered above avertically positioned cylindrical pile fabric assembly, the spray deviceshown in an off or deactivated position as it will be before and afterspraying of the cylindrical pile fabric assembly;

FIG. 24 is a schematic view of the spray device positioned inside thevertically positioned cylindrical pile fabric assembly before sprayingbegins;

FIG. 25 is a cross sectional view of the spray device positioned insidethe vertically positioned cylindrical pile fabric, taken along the line25-25 in FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a schematic view of the spray device positioned inside thevertically positioned cylindrical pile fabric assembly as the spraydevice moves vertically upwardly, while adhesive spraying occurs;

FIG. 27 is a partial schematic view of the spray device positionedinside the vertically positioned cylindrical pile fabric assembly as thespray device moves vertically upwardly, while adhesive spraying occurs;

FIG. 28 is a cross sectional view of the cylindrical pile fabricassembly including the adhesive layer applied to the inside surfacethereof, taken along the line 28-28 in FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a schematic isometric depiction showing a wide segment of dryadhesive film beginning to be wound around the outer non-stick surfaceof the aluminum heating tube, incorporating an alternate embodiment ofthe methods of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a schematic isometric depiction showing one or more windingsof dry adhesive film on the aluminum heating tube shown in FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a schematic isometric depiction showing an end of a tubularknitted pile fabric about to be slid onto the one or more windings ofdry adhesive film on the aluminum heating tube shown in FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a schematic isometric depiction of the tubular knitted pilefabric, the one or more windings of dry adhesive film, and the aluminumheating tube illustrated in FIG. 31 about to be slid onto the mandrelheating assembly;

FIG. 33 is a schematic isometric depiction of the tubular knitted pilefabric, the one or more windings of dry adhesive film, and the aluminumheating tube illustrated in FIGS. 31 and 32 located upon the mandrelheating assembly illustrated in FIG. 13 and being heated; and

FIG. 34 is a flow diagram showing the manufacturing of a paint rollercover that is made according to the methods of the present invention, asillustrated in FIGS. 1 through 33.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The paint roller cover manufacturing methods of the present inventionutilizes a tubular paint roller fabric that includes at least one of atubular knit base and an outwardly extending pile that is made, at leastin part, of a low melt yarn. The tubular paint roller fabrics for use inthe present invention include those comprising a tubular knit basehaving sliver pile fibers extending therefrom, a tubular knit basehaving cut pile yarn segments extending therefrom or a tubular knit basehaving a combination of sliver pile fibers and cut pile yarn segmentsextending therefrom. The tubular paint roller fabrics and methods ofmanufacture thereof are discussed in detail in the above-incorporated byreference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/740,119, as shown in FIGS.1 and 2 herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/116,022, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 herein, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/249,455,incorporated herein by reference, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 herein.It will be appreciated that although the above-recited patentapplications are directed to tubular knit fabrics formed in a pileside-out manner, the present invention can be used with good effect withtubular knit fabrics that are knitted in a pile side-in manner andinverted, as will be well known to those skilled in the art.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a tubular sliver knit segment 30 that may becontinuously knitted in an extended length is shown. The tubular sliverknit segment 30 consists of a knit backing or base material 32 havingpile fibers 34 extending from the knit base material 32 on the outersurface of the tubular sliver knit segment 30. At least one of the knitbase material 32 and the pile fiber 34 are constructed at least in partfrom a low melt yarn, that will be discussed below. It may be seen froma top edge 36 of the knit base material 32 that the tubular sliver knitsegment 30 has an essentially circular cross section. The tubular sliverknit segment 30 may be knitted in as long a length as desired,notwithstanding that FIG. 1 only shows a relatively short segment of thetubular sliver knit segment 30.

Referring next to FIG. 2, a segment of the tubular sliver knit segment30 is shown in schematic form from the outside thereof to illustrate theknit of the knit base material 32, and the manner in which tufts of thepile fibers 34 are woven into the knit base material 32. Those skilledin the art will at once realize that while the tufts of the pile fibers34 shown in FIG. 2 include only a few fibers each for added clarity andunderstanding of the construction of the pile fabric 30, tufts of thepile fibers 34 in the tubular sliver knit segment 30 will actuallyinclude sufficient pile fibers 34 to make a pile that is sufficientlydense for the intended use of the tubular sliver knit segment 30 in themanufacture of a paint roller cover.

The foundation of the tubular sliver knit segment 30 is the knit basematerial 32, which is formed from a plurality of threads or yarnsegments, indicated generally at 31 in FIG. 2. The knit base material 32may be knit from a low melt yarn in a highly modified single jerseycircular knitting process on a radically redesigned circular knittingmachine. The knit base material 32 has a plurality of courses (which arerows of loops of stitches which run across the knit fabric), five ofwhich are shown and designated by the reference numerals 40, 42, 44, 46,and 48, and a plurality of wales (which are vertical chains of loops inthe longitudinal direction of the knit fabric), three of which are shownand designated by the reference numerals 50, 52, and 54. The respectivecourses 40, 42, 44, 46, and 48 are knitted sequentially from the lowestcourse number to the highest course number.

It will be appreciated that if the knit base material includes low meltyarn, the threads or yarn segments 31 of the knit base material 32 mayeach be made of a low melt yarn, or alternatively, only a portion of thethreads 31 of the knit base material 32, such as alternating threads 31,can be made of a low melt yarn, depending on the desired end useapplication of the tubular knit fabric 30.

By way of example, the construction of the portion of the tubular sliverknit segment 30 in the area of the course 46 and the wale 52 will bediscussed herein. A loop 56 formed in a yarn segment, indicated at 58,is located in this area, with a loop 60 formed in a yarn segmentindicated at 62 being located in the course 44 below the loop 56, and aloop 64 formed in a yarn segment indicated at 66 being located in thecourse 48 above the loop 56. The loop 56 extends through the loop 60from the outside to the inside of the tubular sliver knit segment 30(shown in FIG. 2), and the loop 64 also extends through the loop 56 fromthe outside to the inside.

A tuft of pile fibers 34 having a loop portion 68 and opposite endportions 70 and 72 is knitted into the knit base material 32 togetherwith the loop 56. The loop portion 68 of that particular tuft of pilefibers 34 is located adjacent the top of the loop 56, and the oppositeend portions 70 and 72 of that particular tuft of pile fibers 34 extendoutwardly from the interior of the loop 56, above the loop 60 and belowthe loop 64. In a similar manner, each of the other tufts of the pilefibers 34 is knitted into the knit base material 32 with a differentloop.

The tufts of the pile fibers 34 of the tubular sliver knit segment 30can also be made from a low melt yarn so that the loop portions thereofmay be melted together, if desired, as described in more detail below.In order to provide the tubular knit segment 30 with a consistent anduniform pile surface (for use as a paint roller cover), the tufts ofpile fibers 34 including the low melt yarn component can be knitted intothe knit base material 32 in any number of patterns or configurations.For example, tufts of pile fibers indicated at 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71and 73 may be constructed of a low melt yarn, so that a repeatingpattern of low melt fibers and high melt fibers/yarns are incorporatedinto the pile 34. The number of tufts of low melt pile fibers can bedetermined by a number of factors, including but not limited to, thepaint roller fabric application, the type of low melt and high meltfibers used in both the knit base material 32 and the pile 34, and as amatter of design choice.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a tubular cut pile knit segment 80 that may becontinuously knitted in an extended length is shown. The tubular cutpile knit segment 80 consists of a knit backing or base material 82having cut pile yarn segments 84 extending from the knit base material82 on the outer surface of the tubular cut pile knit segment 80. Atleast one of the knit base material 82 and the cut pile yarn segments 84are made, at least in part, from a low melt yarn that will be discussedbelow. It may be seen from a top edge 86 of the knit base material 82that the tubular cut pile knit segment 80 has an essentially circularcross section. The tubular cut pile knit segment 80 may be knitted in aslong a length as desired, notwithstanding that FIG. 3 only shows arelatively short segment of the tubular cut pile knit segment 80.

Referring next to FIG. 4, a segment of the tubular cut pile knit segment80 is shown in schematic form to illustrate the knit of the knit basematerial 82, and the manner in which the cut pile yarn segments 84 areknitted into the knit base material 82.

The foundation of the tubular cut pile knit segment 80 is the knit basematerial 82, which is formed from a plurality of threads or yarnsegments, indicated generally at 81 in FIG. 4. The knit base material 82may be knit from a low melt yarn in a highly modified single jerseycircular knitting process on a radically redesigned circular knittingmachine. The knit base material 82 has a plurality of courses (which arerows of loops of stitches which run across the knit fabric), five ofwhich are shown and designated by the reference numerals 90, 92, 94, 96,and 98, and a plurality of wales (which are vertical chains of loops inthe longitudinal direction of the knit fabric), three of which are shownand designated by the reference numerals 100, 102, and 104. Therespective courses 90, 92, 94, 96, and 98 are knitted sequentially fromthe lowest course number to the highest course number.

It will be appreciated that when the knit base material 81 is designedto include low melt yarn, the threads or yarn segments 81 of the knitbase material 82 may each be made of a low melt yarn, or alternatively,a portion, such as alternating threads 81, can be made of a low meltyarn, depending on the desired end use application of the tubular knitfabric 80.

By way of example, the construction of the portion of the tubular cutpile knit segment 80 in the area of the course 96 and the wale 102 willbe discussed herein. A backing loop 106 formed in a backing yarn segmentindicated at 108 is located in this area, with a backing loop 110 formedin a backing yarn segment indicated at 112 being located in the course94 below the backing loop 106, and a backing loop 114 formed in abacking yarn segment indicated at 116 being located in the course 98above the backing loop 106. The backing loop 106 extends through thebacking loop 110 from the outside to the inside of the tubular cut pileknit segment 80 (shown in FIG. 4), and the backing loop 114 also extendsthrough the backing loop 106 from the outside to the inside. It will atonce be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this arrangement ofbacking loops in sequentially knitted courses is completely opposite tothe way in which knit fabrics have been knitted on known circularknitting machines.

A cut pile yarn segment 84 having a pile loop portion 118 and oppositepile ends 120 and 122 is knitted into the knit base material 82 togetherwith the backing loop 106. The pile loop portion 118 of that particularcut pile yarn segment 84 is located adjacent the top of the backing loop106, and the opposite pile ends 120 and 122 of that particular cut pileyarn segment 84 extend outwardly from the interior of the backing loop106, above the backing loop 110 and below the backing loop 114. In asimilar manner, each of the other cut pile yarn segments 84 is knittedinto the knit base material 82 with a different backing loop.

The cut pile yarn segments 84 of the tubular cut pile knit segment 80can also be made from a low melt yarn so that the pile loop portionsthereof may be melted together with the backing material, as describedin more detail below. In order to provide the tubular cut pile knitsegment 80 with a consistent and uniform pile surface (for use as apaint roller cover), the cut pile yarn segments 84 including the lowmelt yarn component can be knitted into the knit base material 82 in anynumber of patterns or configurations. For example, the cut pile yarnsegments indicated at 91, 93 and 95 may be constructed of a low meltyarn, so that a substantially repeating pattern of low melt cut yarnsand high melt yarns are incorporated into the pile 84. The number of lowmelt cut pile yarn segments 84 incorporated into the knit base material84 can be determined by a number of factors, including but not limitedto, the paint roller fabric application, the type of low melt and highmelt fibers used in both the knit base material 82 and the pile 84, andas a matter of design choice.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a tubular knit segment 300 comprising acombination of tufts of pile fibers 304A and cut pile yarn segments 304B(indicated generally as 304 in FIG. 5) that may be continuously knittedin an extended length is shown. The tubular knit segment 300 consists ofa knit backing or base material 302 having pile fibers, 304 in FIG. 5,extending from the knit base material 302 on the outer surface of thetubular knit segment 300. At least one of the knit base material 302 andthe pile fibers 304A and 304B are constructed at least in part from alow melt yarn that will be discussed below. It may be seen from a topedge 306 of the knit base material 302 that the tubular knit segment 300has an essentially circular cross section. The tubular knit segment 300may be knitted in as long a length as desired, notwithstanding that FIG.5 only shows a relatively short segment of the tubular knit segment 300.

FIG. 6 illustrates a segment of the tubular knit segment 300 inschematic form to illustrate the knit of the knit base material 302, andthe manner in which tufts of the pile fibers 304A and cut pile yarnsegments 304B are woven into the knit base material 302. Those skilledin the art will at once realize that while the pile fibers 304A and 304Bshown in FIG. 6 include only a few fibers each for added clarity andunderstanding of the construction of the pile fabric 300, the pilefibers 304A and 304B in the tubular knit segment 300 will actuallyinclude sufficient pile fibers 304A and 304B to make a pile that issufficiently dense for the intended use of the tubular knit segment 300in the manufacture of a paint roller cover.

The foundation of the tubular knit segment 300 is the knit base material302, which is formed from a plurality of threads or yarn segments, asindicated generally at 310. The knit base material 302 may be knit froma low melt yarn in a highly modified single jersey circular knittingprocess on a radically redesigned circular knitting machine. The knitbase material 302 has a plurality of courses (which are rows of loops ofstitches which run across the knit fabric), five of which are shown anddesignated by the reference numerals 340, 342, 344, 346, and 348, and aplurality of wales (which are vertical chains of loops in thelongitudinal direction of the knit fabric), three of which are shown anddesignated by the reference numerals 350, 352, and 354. The respectivecourses 340, 342, 344, 346, and 348 are knitted sequentially from thelowest course number to the highest course number.

It will be appreciated that when the knit base material 302 includes alow melt material, all of the threads 310 of the knit base material 302may be made of a low melt yarn, or alternatively, a portion of knit basematerial 302, such as alternating threads 310, can be made of a low meltyarn, depending on the desired end use application of the tubular knitfabric 300.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the construction ofthe portion of the tubular knit segment 300 is similar to that describedwith respect to the tubular sliver knit fabric 30 and the tubular cutpile knit segment 80. However, the tubular knit segment 300 includesalternating rows of tufts of pile fibers 304A and cut pile yarn segments304B knitted into the knit base material 302. As illustrated in FIG. 6,each of the tufts of pile fibers 304A have a loop portion 312 andopposite end portions 314 and 316, and each of the cut pile yarnsegments 304B have a pile loop portion 318 and opposite pile ends 320and 322.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the tufts of the pilefibers 304A and/or the cut pile yarn segments 304B of the tubular sliverknit segment 300 can be made from a low melt yarn so that the loopportions thereof may be melted together with the backing material, asdescribed in more detail below. In order to provide the tubular knitsegment 300 with a consistent and uniform pile surface (for use as apaint roller cover), the pile fibers 304A and 304B including the lowmelt yarn component can be knitted into the knit base material 302 inany number of patterns or configurations. For example, each of the rowsof cut pile yarn segments 304B may be constructed of a low melt yarn,while the rows of tufts of pile fibers 304A are constructed of a highmelt, or higher melt material, so that a repeating pattern of low meltfibers and high melt fibers/yarns are incorporated into the pile 304Aand 304B. Alternatively, tufts of pile fibers, such as tufts 354 and 356can be constructed of low melt yarn and/or cut yarn segments 358 and 360can be constructed of low melt yarn. The number of low melt pile fiberscan be determined by a number of factors, including but not limited to,the paint roller fabric application, the type of low melt and high meltfibers used in both the knit base material 302 and/or the pile 304A and304B, and as a matter of design choice.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 12, a number of different bicomponentfibers are shown by way of example (although numerous alternatives maybe manufactured by yarn producers), any of which could be used for thethreads of the knit base material and/or pile fibers of the tubular knitfabrics 30, 80 and 300 of the present invention. Referring first to FIG.7, a sheath-core bicomponent fiber 130 is illustrated which has a highmelt component 132 located in the center of the sheath-core bicomponentfiber 130 and a low melt component 134 located on the outer portion ofthe sheath-core bicomponent fiber 130 which low melt component 134surrounds the high melt component 132. The segments of the low meltcomponent 134 and the high melt component 132 are concentric.

Consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention, a low meltyarn can be provided wherein the low melt component is provided in thecenter of a sheath-core bicomponent fiber with a non-melt or high meltcomponent surrounding the low melt component (a construction opposite tothat shown in FIG. 7). Indeed, any of the described yarn constructionsrecited with respect to FIGS. 7 through 12 can be constructed in amanner in which the low melt component 134 is exchanged in positionwithin the bicomponent fiber. As will be appreciated, the application ofheat, as described in more detail below, will permit the low meltcomponent 132 to melt or otherwise soften or flow together. As such,such oppositely formed bicomponent fibers can be used with good effectin the methods of the present invention.

The particular low melt components 134 and high melt components 132 usedin the tubular knitted fabric of the present invention can be anymaterial known to those skilled in the art, provided that the low meltcomponent melts at temperature sufficiently below the melting point ofthe high melt component so as not to damage the high melt component 132during the manufacturing process. Such low melt components/yarns caninclude, but are not limited to, low-melting thermoplastic polymer orcopolymer, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, low melt polyester, lowmelt co-polyamide (nylon) and the like having a known and/orpredetermined melting point. The high melt component 134 is selected soas to remain unaffected at the low melting point of the low meltcomponent and be any natural fiber, thermoplastic polymer/copolymer or acomposite thereof.

Consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention, the term“low melt yarn” can encompass yarns comprising at least one low meltfilament or strand, as described above, and also including a pluralityof additional high melt or non-low melt filaments or strands that arecombined together by methods well known to those skilled in the art. Theadditional high melt/non-low melt filaments or strands may be comprisedof any suitable natural or synthetic fiber suitable for combination withthe low melt fiber or strand. Suitable materials include but are notlimited to nylon, rayon, polypropylene, polyester, polyester-cottonblends, cotton, wool and acrylic. Other materials may be used so long asthey are compatible with the selected low melt yarn and the finalapplication of the tubular knitted pile fabric segment. In this way, thepresent invention is not limited to low melt yarns having only twocomponents and includes low melt yarns having multiple strandcomponents.

It will be appreciated that the ratio of low melt component to high meltcomponent used in a particular low melt yarn encompassed by the presentinvention, will vary depending on the particular end use application ofthe tubular knitted pile fabric segment. Where a more rigid integralcore is to be formed, a low melt yarn having a low melt fiber or strandcomposition that is substantially equal to or greater than the high meltcomponent composition can be used. For applications where the integralcore of the tubular knitted pile fabric segment may be furtherreinforced, a low melt fiber or strand composition that is less than thehigh melt component composition can be used.

The linear mass density of the backing yarn, the pile fibers and/or cutyarn segments used by the present invention may vary betweenapproximately 150 denier and approximately 1500 denier, with a preferredlinear mass density being between approximately 560 denier andapproximately 1200 denier. It will be understood, however, that thelinear mass density of each fiber or strand of the bicomponent ormulti-component low melt yarn will be determined by the specificfiber/strand selected, and is a matter of design choice, depending atleast in part on the knitting equipment utilized and the end useapplication of the tubular knitted pile fabric segment.

Referring next to FIG. 8, a side-by-side bicomponent fiber 140 isillustrated which has one side (a semicircular cross section) made of ahigh melt component 142 and the other side (a complementary semicircularcross section) made of a low melt component 144. Referring now to FIG.9, an eccentric sheath-core bicomponent fiber 150 is illustrated whichhas a high melt component 152 located in the center of the eccentricsheath-core bicomponent fiber 150 and a low melt component 154 locatedon the outer portion of the eccentric sheath-core bicomponent fiber 150which low melt component 154 surrounds the high melt material 152. Bydefinition in an eccentric sheath-core relationship, the segments of thelow melt component 154 and the high melt component 152 are notconcentric.

Referring next to FIG. 10, a matrix-fibril bicomponent fiber 160 isillustrated which has four segments of high melt component 162distributed in a matrix of low melt component 164 that entirelysurrounds the segments of high melt component 162. Although foursegments of high melt component 162 are shown in FIG. 10, more or fewercould be used. Also, although the four segments of high melt component162 are shown as being evenly distributed in the surrounding low meltcomponent 164, the segments of high melt component 162 could bedistributed more randomly in the surrounding low melt component 164 aswell.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a segmented pie bicomponent fiber 170 isillustrated which has eight pie-shaped segments that are evenlydistributed around the circumference of the segmented pie bicomponentfiber 170. The segments alternate between high components 172 and lowmelt components 174. Although four segments of high melt component 172and four segments of low melt component 174 are shown in FIG. 11, moreor fewer could be used.

Referring next to FIG. 12, a bicomponent yarn 180 is illustrated whichis made up of four fibers, two of which are high melt fibers 182 and twoof which are low melt fibers 184. As is the case with any yarn, the highmelt fibers 182 and the low melt fibers 184 are twisted together to formthe segment of bicomponent yarn 180. Although two high melt fibers 182and two low melt fibers 184 are shown in FIG. 12, more or fewer of eachcould be used.

Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, a mandrel heating assembly 190 isillustrated in two cross sectional views. The mandrel heating assembly190 of the exemplary embodiment has a mandrel 192 that is cylindricaland has an outer diameter of approximately one and three-eighths inches(35 millimeters) or slightly less and has a coaxial cylindrical aperture194 located therein that is approximately three-quarters of an inch (19millimeters) in diameter or slightly larger extending therethrough,which mandrel 192 may be made out of steel. A smaller aperture 196 thatis approximately one-eighth of an inch (3.2 millimeters) in diameter orslightly larger extends longitudinally through the mandrel 192 and islocated in the mandrel 192 between the aperture 194 and the outersurface of the mandrel 192.

A cartridge heater 198 is located in the aperture 194 in the mandrel192. The cartridge heater 198 may be a Watlow FIREROD Part No.N24A23-E12H cartridge heater from Watlow Electric Manufacturing Companyof St. Louis, Mo. The cartridge heater 198 has a three-quarter inch (19millimeter) diameter and is twenty-four inches (610 millimeters) long,has a 2750 Watt rating, and has two heater leads 200 extending from oneend thereof.

A thermocouple 202 is located in the aperture 196 in the mandrel 192.The thermocouple 202 may be an Omega Model No. JMQSS-125G-6 thermocouplefrom Omega Engineering, Inc. of Stamford, Conn. The thermocouple 202 hasa has an one-eighth inch (3.2 millimeter) diameter, is twenty-fourinches (610 millimeters) long, and has two thermocouple leads 204extending from one end thereof.

Referring next to FIG. 15, a control circuit for operating the cartridgeheater 198 based on temperature information received from thethermocouple 202 is illustrated. A Eurotherm Model No. 2216e generalpurpose PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) temperature controllerfrom Eurotherm Inc. of Leesburg, Va. has as an input the thermocoupleleads 204 from the thermocouple 202, and is connected through the heaterleads 200 to operate the cartridge heater 198 at the desiredtemperature.

Referring next to FIG. 16, a tubular knitted pile fabric 220 (which maybe any one of the tubular knit segments 30, 80 and 300 described herein)having a first end 222 and a second end 224 is shown as it is about tobe pulled onto the exterior surface of a hollow cylindrical aluminumheating tube 226 having a first end 228 and a second end 230 and anonstick substance 232 on the outer surface thereof. The aluminumheating tube 226 has an outer diameter that is approximately the same asthe inner diameter of a finished paint roller cover core (paint rollercover cores typically have an inner diameter of approximately one andone-half inches (38 millimeters), although alternative sizes such asinner diameters of one and three-quarters inches (44 millimeters) andtwo inches (51 millimeters) can be manufactured as well).

The aluminum heating tube 226 has an inner diameter of approximately oneand three-eighths inches (35 millimeters) or slightly greater and issized to fit removably over the mandrel 192 of the mandrel heatingassembly 190 (shown in FIGS. 13 and 14). (It should be noted that theinner diameter of the aluminum heating tube 226 is not critical, andindeed will vary according to the outer diameter of the mandrel 192 ofthe mandrel heating assembly 190.) The outer surface of the aluminumheating tube 226 is coated with a low coefficient of friction materialsuch as silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, such as the materialmarketed by DuPont under the trademark TEFLON) to provide a non-sticksubstance 232 thereupon.

The tubular knitted pile fabric 220 has an inner diameter that isapproximately the same size as or slightly smaller than the outerdiameter of the aluminum heating tube 226. The tubular knitted pilefabric 220 may be sized to require that it be stretched slightly when itis placed onto the aluminum heating tube 226 in order to achieve thecorrect density and/or positioning. Alternately, the tubular knittedpile fabric segment 220 could also be slightly larger than the outerdiameter of the aluminum heating tube 226 and shrunk slightly (throughthe subsequent application of heat which will be discussed below) toclosely conform to the aluminum heating tube 226.

The tubular knitted pile fabric 220 is of a length that corresponds tothe desired length of a paint roller cover. For a nine inch (229millimeters) long paint roller cover, the tubular knitted pile fabric220 will have to be sufficiently long such that following theapplication of heat the resulting paint roller cover will be of thedesired length. Experience has indicated that there may be shrinkage inlength during the application of heat (in one instance, the shrinkage inlength was approximately eight percent. Accordingly, if an eight percentshrinkage in length is anticipated, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220will need to be approximately 9.8 inches (249 millimeters) long.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the tubularknitted pile fabric 220 could alternately be sized for use inmanufacturing a plurality of paint roller covers of any of severaldifferent lengths. For example, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220could be approximately one hundred inches (2.54 meters) long, which is asufficient length to allow it to be used for the manufacture of sevennine inch (229 millimeter) long paint roller covers. In this case, ofcourse, the aluminum heating tube 226 and the mandrel heating assembly190 (shown in FIGS. 13 and 14) would have to be proportionately longeras well.

In FIG. 16, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 is shown with its secondend 224 about to be pulled over the first end 228 of the aluminumheating tube 226. FIG. 17 shows the tubular knitted pile fabric 220partly pulled onto the aluminum heating tube 226, and FIG. 18 shows thetubular knitted pile fabric 220 fully pulled onto the aluminum heatingtube 226, with the second end 224 of the tubular knitted pile fabric 220located close adjacent to the second end 230 of the aluminum heatingtube 226. The tubular knitted pile fabric 220 fits easily on the outerdiameter of the aluminum heating tube 226, and is not stretched on thealuminum heating tube 226.

Referring next to FIG. 19, the aluminum heating tube 226 with thetubular knitted pile fabric 220 located thereupon is about to be placedonto the mandrel heating assembly 190. As mentioned above, the insidediameter of the aluminum heating tube 226 is sized to fit removably overthe outer diameter of the mandrel 192 of the mandrel heating assembly190, but with a relatively close fit to allow heat from the mandrelheating assembly 190 to be transferred to and through the aluminumheating tube 226. Prior to placing 226 with the tubular knitted pilefabric 220 located thereupon over the mandrel heating assembly 190, themandrel heating assembly 190 is brought up to the desired temperature.Typically, this will take less than one minute.

The temperature of the mandrel heating assembly 190 is a function ofwhich particular bicomponent material is used in the low melt yarn usedfor the backing and/or pile of the tubular knitted pile fabric 220. Morespecifically, the temperature used must be at or above the melting pointof the low melt component used in the backing and/or pile materials, butbelow the melting point of the high melt component used in the backingand/or pile material of the tubular knitted pile fabric 220. Thetemperature of the mandrel heating assembly 190 accordingly variesaccording to the properties of the bicomponent material, and willtypically be set between approximately 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190degrees Celsius) and approximately 435 degrees Fahrenheit (224 degreesCelsius), although with some bicomponent materials the temperature mayvary from as low as approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degreesCelsius) to as high as 600 degrees Fahrenheit (316 degrees Celsius).

In FIG. 19, the aluminum heating tube 226 with the tubular knitted pilefabric 220 located thereupon is shown with the second end 230 of thealuminum heating tube 226 about to be pulled over the mandrel heatingassembly 190. FIG. 20 shows the aluminum heating tube 226 with thetubular knitted pile fabric 220 located thereupon fully pulled onto themandrel heating assembly 190, where it is heated and maintained for aperiod of time sufficient to activate the backing yarn and/or the loopedportions/knit ends of the pile fibers. (Activating the backing yarnand/or looped portions/knit ends of the pile fibers constitutes meltingthe low melt component of the bicomponent material of the backing and/orpile yarn of the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 so that it will flowtogether to lock the backing yarn and knit loop portions of the pilefibers into an integral cylindrical core around the aluminum heatingtube 226.)

This period of time can vary between approximately five seconds toapproximately ninety seconds, with typical times for most bicomponentmaterials varying from approximately five seconds to approximately sixtyseconds. During this activation process, the length of the tubularknitted pile fabric 220 may shrink somewhat, as mentioned above. Clampssecuring the fabric in place (not shown herein) can be utilized tominimizing or eliminate the fabric's shrinking characteristics.Following the activation process, the aluminum heating tube 226 with thenow-activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240 (as indicated in FIG. 21)located thereupon is removed from the mandrel heating assembly 190 andallowed to cool, which typically takes only a few seconds. The activatedtubular knitted pile fabric 240 may then be removed from the aluminumheating tube 226.

Referring next to FIG. 21, the activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240is shown as having a first end 242 and a second end 244, with a pile 248extending outwardly from the activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240.The inside of the activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240 is acylindrical fused backing, comprising a substantially rigid integralcore member 246 on the inside surface thereof. Finishing the activatedtubular knitted pile fabric 240 will include the steps of combing thepile 248 of the activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240 and shearingit to the desired length. Finally, the ends 242 and 244 of the activatedtubular knitted pile fabric 240 may be finished and the edges of theactivated tubular knitted pile fabric 240 may be beveled, and any loosefibers may be vacuumed off.

While the exemplary embodiment discussed above produces a nine inch (229millimeter) paint roller cover, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220, thealuminum heating tube 226, and the mandrel heating assembly 190 (asshown in FIGS. 19 and 20) could alternately be sized for use inmanufacturing a plurality of paint roller covers of any of severaldifferent lengths. For example, a substantially longer activated tubularknitted pile fabric 240 could be produced and subsequently be cut intounfinished paint roller cover segments of any desired size. Theseunfinished paint roller cover segments would then be finished asdescribed above.

Turning now to FIG. 22A, one embodiment of a an exemplary adhesive spraydevice 400 is schematically illustrated. The spray device 400 includesan elongated fluid delivery tube or shaft 401 having a first or proximalend 402 including an adhesive input 406 and, preferably, an air input408. The adhesive input 406 is in fluid communication with an adhesivesource 410, which can be provided any means known to those skilled inthe art. The air input 408 is in communication with an air source 412,which is preferably a pressurized air source. The pressure of thepressurized air is determined by a number of factors, including, thetype and viscosity of adhesive used, the type of spray device and spraynozzle selected, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Thefirst end 402 will also include a connection or mixing chamber,indicated generally at 414, wherein the adhesive and pressurized air aremixed prior to dispensation of the adhesive.

The adhesive spray device 400 includes a second or distal end 404comprising a spray nozzle 418. The nozzle is preferably capable ofproviding a 360 degree circular adhesive spray. A spacer 420 can beincluded to ensure that the spray nozzle 418 of the spray device iscorrectly centered inside the tubular knitted pile fabric 240. Indeed,FIG. 22B illustrates the spray device 400 provided without the spacer420. Spray devices that can be used with good effect include thosemanufactured by Binks, ITW Industrial Finishing (Glendale Heights,Ill.).

The present invention includes applying at least one layer of sprayadhesive on to the cooled, integral core formed by the re-hardened lowmelt yarn backing material of the tubular knitted pile fabric 240 tocreate an enhanced rigid cylindrical assembly having a pile surface.

The adhesive used for the adhesive layer in the methods of the presentinvention may be one or more of a two-part or one-part adhesive, and ispreferably provided in a “liquid” form. As defined herein, a liquidadhesive can include compositions that are provided as liquid orsubstantially liquid, gel, foam and/or in a liquid emulsion ordispersion form. It will be appreciated that the viscosity of the liquidadhesive will depend on the particular composition of the adhesiveselected, the particular solvents utilized therewith and the desiredcured and/or dried properties (e.g. strength, water resistance,permeability) of the adhesive. Such adhesive compositions can includebut are not limited to polyurethane and urethane adhesives, acrylics,epoxies, latex, synthetic latex, glycerin based compounds, siliconebased compounds, other natural or synthetic polymeric adhesives as knownto those skilled in the art, or a combination thereof. The viscosity ofthe adhesive selected for use in the present invention is preferablyselected so as to avoid dripping or running of the adhesive layer onceit is applied to the tubular knitted pile fabric 240. Preferably, thespray adhesive, when cured and/or dried, is a substantially waterproofand/or water resistant.

Preferably, the adhesive is a polyurethane composition utilizing anisocynate crosslinking agent, and having a viscosity of approximatelyabout 2000 centipoise. As will be understood by those skilled in theart, other crosslinking agents can be used with good effect. Thepolyurethane adhesive can include one or more additives includingcatalysts, chain-extenders, stabilizing agents, and plasticizers as areknown to those skilled in the art. In particular, the polyurethaneadhesive used in the present invention can include one or more catalystsincluding, but not limited to tertiary amines such astriethylenediamine, N-methylmorpholine, N-ethylmorpholine,diethylethanolamine, N-cocomorpholine,1-methyl-4-dimethylaminoethylpiperazine, 3-methoxypropyldimethylamine,N,N,N-trimethylisopropyl propylenediamine,3-diethylamino-propyldiethylamine, dimethylbenzylamine, and the like.Other suitable catalysts are, for example, stannous chloride,dibutyltin-di-2-ethyl hexonate, potassium hexanoate, stannous oxide, aswell as other organometallic compounds known to those skilled in theart.

Turning next to FIG. 23, the liquid adhesive is applied to the tubularknitted pile fabric 240 while the assembly is positioned in asubstantially vertical orientation. The tubular knitted pile fabric 240can be held in place by clamps (not shown) or by any means known tothose skilled in the art.

As illustrated in FIG. 23, the spray device 400 is mounted to asubstantially horizontal plane 422, so that that the spray device 400 isdisposed in a substantially vertical position. Although otherconfigurations can be used, it is preferable that the spray device 400is mounted in this vertical fashion with the nozzle 418 in a generallyspaced apart position from the top edge 242 of the tubular knitted pilefabric 240.

The spray device 400 can be vertically and positionably mounted by anypositioning means 430 known to those skilled in the art. For example,the positioning means 430 can be a hydraulic or air actuated mechanismincluding an extendable shaft 432 for moving the spray device 400 from afirst position 434 (as illustrated in FIG. 23) to a second position 436(as illustrated in FIG. 24) and to a plurality of vertically positionstherebetween.

Once the tubular knitted pile fabric 240 is properly positioned beneaththe spray device 400 so that the nozzle 418 is substantially centered inthe middle of the integral core 246 of the tubular knitted pile fabric240, the spray device is lowered to the lower position 436. In this way,at least a portion of the spacer 420 is positioned inside the tubularknitted pile fabric 240 and the nozzle 418 is vertically positioned atapproximately the bottom end 244, or below the bottom end 244, of thetubular knitted pile fabric 240, as illustrated in FIG. 24. As shown inFIG. 25, the nozzle 418 of the spray device is substantially centeredinside the tubular knitted pile fabric 240.

As illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27, the liquid adhesive 438 iscontinuously sprayed on to the integral core member 246 of the tubularknitted pile fabric 240 as the nozzle 418 of the spray device 400 ismoved from the lower position 436 (as shown in FIG. 24) back to thehigher position 434 (as shown in FIG. 23), leaving a substantiallyuniform layer 440 of adhesive on the inside surface of the tubularknitted pile fabric 240. The spray device 400 is turned off after theintegral core member 246 of the tubular knitted pile fabric 240 has acomplete layer 440 of adhesive provided thereon. It will be understoodthat although only a single layer of adhesive 440 is shown in FIGS. 27and 28, multiple layers of adhesive 440 can be provided, depending onthe end use application of the paint roller cover.

It will be appreciated that the thickness of the layer of adhesive 440depends on the type of adhesive selected and the desired end use of thepaint roller cover. When polyurethane is used as the adhesive, thethickness of the layer of adhesive 440 is preferably approximately about7 mils or less, and most preferably about 1 to about 2 mils. Theadhesive layer 440 is preferably thick enough to provide the integralcore member 246 of the tubular knitted pile fabric 240 with sufficientrigidity for its intended use, and to provide any desired waterresistance and/or impermeability properties desired in the end useproduct.

The speed of the adhesive spray device 400 as it moves from a lowposition to a high position during spraying and the flow rate ofadhesive spray 438 that comes out of the nozzle 418 of the sprayer 400is determined by a number of factors, including but not limited to, thetype of spray device 400 selected, the pressure of the pressurized airsource provided to the spray device 400, the viscosity, type and curerate of the adhesive selected, the desired thickness of the adhesivelayer 440, the type of knit backing material used in the tubular knittedpile fabric 240, and is therefore a matter of design choice and can bedetermined as understood by those skilled in the art. In certainpreferred embodiments of the present invention, the adhesive layer 440is applied to the tubular knitted pile fabric 240 in about 20 seconds orless, and most preferably in about 1 to about 3 seconds, depending onthe length and diameter of the tubular knitted pile fabric 240.

Preferably, adhesive 438 is sprayed only as the spray device 400 movesfrom a lower vertical position to a higher vertical position along thelength of the tubular knitted pile fabric 240; however, consistent withthe broader aspects of the present invention, adhesive can be sprayed asthe spray device moves in a vertically downward direction, from a highposition to a low position.

Further, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the spraydevice 400 may be vertically mounted in a stationary position, with thetubular knitted pile fabric 240 being moved vertically up and down withrespect to the stationary spray nozzle. In this way, the bottom end 244of the tubular knitted pile fabric 240 will move to a position above orsubstantially equal to the nozzle 418 of the spray device 400 and iscentered with respect to the nozzle 418. The spray device 400 is thenturned on to provide a layer of adhesive to the tubular knitted pilefabric 240 as the tubular knitted pile fabric 240 is moved from a highvertical position to a low vertical position. The spray device 400 wouldbe shut off as the top end 242 of the tubular knitted pile fabric 240passes the nozzle 418. spraying.

In certain other embodiments of the present invention, the spray devicecan be manually operated, and used to provide the layer of adhesive 440,as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Also, it will beunderstood that the interior surface of the tubular knitted pile fabric240 can be coated with a liquid adhesive while the tubular knitted pilefabric 240 is oriented horizontally.

After application of one or more layers of adhesive onto the insidesurface of the cylindrical pile fabric assembly, the adhesive is allowedto cure and/or dry. Drying can occur via air or ambient means, oralternatively, radiant heat (oven dry), ultraviolet radiation and/orradio frequency methods can be used to cure/dry the adhesive layer 440.The drying temperature will depend on the type of adhesive selected, thethickness of the layer of adhesive 440, and the particular solvent usedtherein. Such drying times can range from a few minutes to about 30minutes.

An alternate embodiment of the paint roller cover manufacturing methodof the present invention is shown in FIGS. 29 through 33. Referringfirst to FIG. 29, prior to application of the spray adhesive, one ormore layers of dry adhesive film 250 is wound around the aluminumheating tube 226. The dry adhesive film 250 generally consists of a thinplastic film that is coated on one side (the side that will be woundfacing outwardly) with a non-tacky adhesive, and may optionally have apressure-sensitive adhesive on the opposite side to facilitate theinstallation of the dry adhesive film 250 onto the aluminum heating tube226. One dry adhesive film that may be used, for example, is Stock No.233 from Lenderink Technologies in Belmont, Mich. The thickness of thedry adhesive film 250 may vary from approximately 0.0005 inches (0.0127millimeters) thick to approximately 0.01 inches (0.254 millimeters)thick. For example, from one to seven layers of 0.0012 inch (0.0305millimeter) thick dry adhesive film 250, or from one to three layers ofthicker dry adhesive film 250 (0.0024 inch (0.61 millimeter) thick to0.0072 inch (0.183 millimeter) thick) being used. The dry adhesive film250 is cut when a sufficient length of the dry adhesive film 250 hasbeen wound around the aluminum heating tube 226 to form a wrapped dryadhesive film 252, as shown in FIG. 30.

Referring next to FIG. 31, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 is shownwith its second end 224 about to be pulled over the first end 228 of thealuminum heating tube 226, and then onto the wrapped dry adhesive film252 on the aluminum heating tube 226. FIG. 32 shows the tubular knittedpile fabric 220 fully pulled onto the wrapped dry adhesive film 252 onthe aluminum heating tube 226, with the aluminum heating tube 226 withthe tubular knitted pile fabric 220 and the wrapped dry adhesive film252 located thereupon about to be placed over the mandrel heatingassembly 190.

FIG. 33 shows the aluminum heating tube 226 with the tubular knittedpile fabric 220 and the wrapped dry adhesive film 252 located thereuponfully pulled onto the mandrel heating assembly 190, where it is heatedand maintained for a period of time sufficient to activate the wrappeddry adhesive film 252 and the backing yarn/looped ends of the low meltpile fiber, with the wrapped dry adhesive film 252 and the low meltcomponent of the bicomponent material of the backing yarn and loopedends of pile fiber of the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 flowingtogether to form an integral cylindrical core around the mandrel 192 ofthe mandrel heating assembly 190. Following the activation process, thealuminum heating tube 226 with the now-fused together material isremoved from the mandrel heating assembly 190 and allowed to cool. Theresulting assembly may then be removed from the aluminum heating tube226 and finished as described above.

Referring finally to FIG. 34, the paint roller cover manufacturingmethod of the present invention is shown in a flow chart that includes anumber of the variations discussed herein. The paint roller covermanufacturing operation starts in a manufacture tubular knitted pilefabric sleeve step 260 in which the tubular knitted pile fabric used inthe tubular knitted pile fabric 220 (shown in FIGS. 1 through 6) ismanufactured.

The tubular knitted pile fabric used in the tubular knitted pile fabric220 (shown in FIGS. 1 through 6) is represented in a manufacture tubularsliver knit fabric sleeve 260A, which corresponds to manufacture of thetubular sliver knit segment 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The tubularknitted pile fabric used in the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 can alsobe a tubular cut pile yarn fabric sleeve 260B, which corresponds tomanufacture of the tubular cut pile yarn segment 80 shown in FIGS. 3 and4. The tubular knitted pile fabric used in the tubular knitted pilefabric 220 can also be a tubular knit fabric sleeve 260C including tuftsof pile fibers and cut pile yarn segments, which correspond tomanufacture of the tubular knit segment 300 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The process next moves to a cut tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve tolength step 262 in which the tubular knitted pile fabric is cut to thedesired length of the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 (shown in FIGS. 16through 20). As mentioned above, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220will have to be sufficiently long such that following the application ofheat the resulting paint roller cover will be of the desired length,taking account of shrinkage that may occur during the heating process.Alternately, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 could be sized for usein manufacturing a plurality of paint roller covers of any of severaldifferent lengths. For example, a substantially longer activated tubularknitted pile fabric 240 (similar is appearance to that shown in FIG. 21,except longer in length) could be produced and subsequently be cut intounfinished paint roller cover segments of any desired size.

Optionally, an invert fabric sleeve step 263 is included if the tubularknitted pile fabric 220 is provided in a pile side-in manner.

Optionally, an apply dry adhesive film to aluminum heating tube step 264can then be used if it is desired to apply the wrapped dry adhesive film252 (shown in FIG. 22) under the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 on thealuminum heating tube 226.

With or without the apply dry adhesive film to aluminum heating tubestep 264, the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 is placed onto thealuminum heating tube 226 in a place tubular knitted pile fabric sleeveon aluminum tube step 266, as shown in FIGS. 16 through 18 (without thewrapped dry adhesive film 252) or in FIG. 31 (with the wrapped dryadhesive film 252). The process next moves to a preheat mandrel todesired temperature step 268, wherein the mandrel heating assembly 190is heated to the desired temperature to activate the low melt componentin the backing of the tubular knitted pile fabric 220.

The process then moves to a place aluminum heating tube with fabricsleeve onto mandrel step 270, in which the aluminum heating tube 226with the tubular knitted pile fabric 220 (and, optionally, the wrappeddry adhesive film 252) located thereupon is placed onto the mandrelheating assembly 190 to initiate the heating process, as shown in FIG.19. The aluminum heating tube 226 with the tubular knitted pile fabric220 (and, optionally, the wrapped dry adhesive film 252) locatedthereupon is heated on the mandrel heating assembly 190 for apredetermined time as shown in FIG. 20 in a heat fabric sleeve onmandrel for a predetermined time step 272.

The process then moves to a remove aluminum tube with activated fabricsleeve from mandrel step 274 in which the aluminum heating tube 226 withthe activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240 (shown in FIG. 21) isremoved from the mandrel heating assembly 190 and allowed to cool. Atthis point, the activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240 has cooled andhas an integral cylindrical fused backing 246 located on the insidethereof, as indicated in a fabric sleeve has formed integral core memberstep 276.

An apply liquid adhesive layer to integrally formed core member oftubular fabric sleeve step 277 is used to further enhance the rigidityof the integrally formed core member 246 of tubular fabric sleeve 240,as illustrated in FIGS. 22A through 29. A cure/dry adhesive layer step279 follows the application step 277.

Next, in an optional cut fabric-covered core member to desired lengthsstep 278, the activated tubular knitted pile fabric 240 may be cut intoa plurality of unfinished paint roller covers of any desired size. Thisstep is, of course, not performed if the tubular knitted pile fabric 220was cut to meet its finished size in the cut tubular knitted pile fabricsleeve to length step 262. The unfinished paint roller covers may thenhave the fabric pile thereupon combed and sheared to a desired length ina comb and shear fabric pile step 280. It should be noted that the comband shear fabric pile step 280 may instead be performed before the cutfabric-covered core member to desired lengths step 278.

Next, in a bevel edges of paint roller covers step 282, the edges of theunfinished paint roller covers are beveled to finish them. Finally, in avacuum paint roller covers step 284, loose fibers are vacuumed off theunfinished paint roller covers, finishing them into paint roller coverswhich may then be packaged and sold (typically, vacuuming isaccomplished throughout the brushing, shearing, and beveling stepsrather than as a separate step).

It may therefore be appreciated from the above detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment of the present invention that it teaches amethod by which a paint roller cover having an integrally formed coremember may be manufactured from tubular knitted pile fabric. The paintroller cover manufacturing methods of the present invention results inan acceptable pile which extends from an acceptably rigid core which canbe installed on and used with any conventional paint roller frame, or ona frame uniquely designed for the paint roller utilizing the new coredesign.

The paint roller cover manufacturing method of the present inventionfacilitates either the manufacture of a paint roller cover of a desiredfinished length, or the manufacture of an extended length segment fromwhich segments of any desired size can be cut for finishing as paintroller covers, thereby facilitating the mass manufacture of paint rollercovers. The paint roller cover manufacturing method of the presentinvention can use tubular knitted pile fabric including sliver fibers,cut yarn pile or a combination of each, as well as utilize a number ofdifferent backing materials.

The paint roller cover manufacturing method of the present inventionresults in a construction which is both durable and long lasting, andyields a paint roller cover of superior quality. The paint roller covermanufacturing method of the present invention also reduces the cost ofmanufacturing paint roller covers when compared to conventional methodsof manufacturing paint roller covers by manufacturing paint rollerswithout using a separately provided core member, thereby affording itthe broadest possible market. Finally, all of the aforesaid advantagesand aspirations of the paint roller cover manufacturing method of thepresent invention are achieved without incurring any substantialrelative disadvantage.

Although the foregoing description of the paint roller covermanufacturing method of the present invention has been shown anddescribed with reference to particular embodiments and applicationsthereof, it has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the particular embodiments and applications disclosed. Itwill be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a numberof changes, modifications, variations, or alterations to the inventionas described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit orscope of the present invention. The particular embodiments andapplications were chosen and described to provide the best illustrationof the principles of the invention and its practical application tothereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the inventionin various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. All such changes, modifications,variations, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within thescope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims wheninterpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly,legally, and equitably entitled.

1. A method of manufacturing a paint roller cover, comprising: providinga tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve having a first end and a secondend, said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve comprising: a base fabricbeing knitted from a base strand and having a tubular configurationdefining an outside and an inside; and pile strands knitted into saidbase fabric and extending inwardly from said base fabric to form thepile of said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve; wherein at least one ofsaid base strand and said pile strands is made at least in part from afirst material and a second material, wherein said first material has alower melting point than said second material and wherein the secondmaterial has a predetermined shrinkage rate when heated to said lowermelting point; placing a first length of said tubular knitted pilefabric sleeve onto a cylindrical member having a cylindrical outersurface with said inside of said base fabric in contact with saidcylindrical outer surface of said cylindrical member; heating said basefabric and said pile strands to cause at least a portion of said firstmaterial to melt and fuse said base fabric and said pile strandstogether to thereby create a cylindrical integral core member which,when cooled, is of sufficient rigidity to preserve its cylindricalconfiguration; applying one or more liquid adhesives to an insidesurface of said cylindrical integral core member of said tubular knittedpile fabric sleeve; and curing or drying said liquid adhesive to form asubstantially rigid layer on said inside surface of said cylindricalintegral core member of said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve.
 2. Amethod as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular knitted pile fabricsleeve comprises: a sliver knit tubular knitted pile fabric sleevewherein said pile strands comprise tufts of sliver fibers.
 3. A methodas defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular knitted pile fabric sleevecomprises: a knit tubular knitted cut pile fabric sleeve wherein saidpile strands comprise cut pile yarn segments.
 4. A method as defined inclaim 1, wherein said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve comprises: atubular knitted fabric sleeve wherein said pile strands comprise tuftsof sliver fibers and cut pile yarn segments.
 5. A method as defined inclaim 1, wherein said base strand and said pile strands comprise atleast one bicomponent fiber comprising: a first material having a firstmelting point; and a second material having a second melting point thatis lower than said first melting point.
 6. A method as defined in claim5, wherein said at least one bicomponent fiber is arranged andconfigured with a sheath made of said second material that surrounds acore made of said first material.
 7. A method as defined in claim 5,wherein said at least one bicomponent fiber is arranged and configuredwith a sheath made of said first material that surrounds a core made ofsaid second material.
 8. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said atleast one bicomponent fiber is arranged and configured with segments ofsaid first and second material respectively located in a side-by-sidearrangement.
 9. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said at leastone bicomponent fiber is arranged and configured with a plurality ofstrands made of said first material that are surrounded by a sheath madeof said second material.
 10. A method as defined in claim 5, whereinsaid first material is selected from the group of materials consistingof polyester and polypropylene.
 11. A method as defined in claim 5,wherein said second material is selected from the group of materialsconsisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, andcopolyester.
 12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one ofsaid base strand and said pile strands comprises a bicomponent yarncomprising: at least one fiber made of a first material having a firstmelting point; and at least one fiber made of a second material having asecond melting point that is lower than said first melting point.
 13. Amethod as defined in claim 1, wherein said base strand and said pilestrands comprise at least in part a low melt material.
 14. A method asdefined in claim 13, wherein said base strand and said pile strandscomprise different low melt materials.
 15. A method as defined in claim1, wherein said wherein at least one of said base strand and said pilestrands comprise a yarn having a linear mass density of betweenapproximately 150 denier and approximately 1500 denier.
 16. A method asdefined in claim 1, wherein said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve hasan inner diameter that is larger than or approximately the same size asthe outer diameter of said cylindrical member.
 17. A method as definedin claim 1, wherein said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve and saidcylindrical member are both longer than the length of a paint rollercover.
 18. A method as defined in claim 17, additionally comprising:cutting said integral core member into a plurality of unfinished paintroller covers each covered with knitted pile fabric having pileextending outwardly therefrom and each having edges located at oppositeends thereof.
 19. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubularknitted pile fabric sleeve is of a length that is sufficiently long suchthat following said heating step said integral core member will besubstantially the length needed to produce a paint roller cover of thedesired length.
 20. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein saidcylindrical member comprises: a hollow cylindrical aluminum heating tubehaving a non-stick outer surface.
 21. A method as defined in claim 20,wherein said aluminum heating tube has an outer diameter that issubstantially identical to a desired inner diameter of a finished paintroller cover.
 22. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein said heatingstep comprises: placing the aluminum heating tube with the tubularknitted pile fabric sleeve located thereupon onto a preheated mandrelheating assembly; and after a predetermined period of time, removingsaid aluminum heating tube from said mandrel heating assembly andallowing said integral core member to cool.
 23. A method as defined inclaim 22, wherein said mandrel heating assembly is preheated to atemperature that is sufficient to cause said first material to melt andconform to the size of said outer diameter of said aluminum heatingtube.
 24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said mandrel heatingassembly is preheated to a temperature that is less than 650 degreesFahrenheit (343 degrees Celsius).
 25. A method as defined in claim 23,wherein said mandrel heating assembly is preheated to a temperature thatis less than 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius).
 26. A methodas defined in claim 22, wherein said predetermined time is sufficienttime for said first material to melt and fuse said base fabric andlooped ends of said pile strands together to cause said first materialto melt and conform to the size of said outer diameter of said aluminumheating tube.
 27. A method as defined in claim 26, wherein saidpredetermined time is between approximately five seconds andapproximately ninety seconds.
 28. A method as defined in claim 1,wherein said applying one or more liquid adhesives step comprises:orienting said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve in a substantiallyvertical configuration with its second end located below said first end;and delivering at least one substantially uniform layer of adhesive tosaid inside surface of said cylindrical integral core member of saidtubular knitted pile fabric sleeve starting from said second end andending at said first end.
 29. A method as defined in claim 28, whereinsaid liquid adhesive is delivered with a spray device that moves fromsaid second end to said first end of said tubular knitted pile fabricsleeve.
 30. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein said adhesive layeris a polyurethane adhesive.
 31. A method as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid applying one or more liquid adhesives step comprises: spraying saidone or more liquid adhesives on to said inside surface of said of saidcylindrical integral core member of said tubular knitted pile fabricsleeve using a spray device to apply a substantially uniform layer ofadhesive thereon.
 32. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said oneor more liquid adhesives are selected from polyurethanes, latexes,acrylics, epoxies, silicones, glycerins or an adhesive combinationthereof.
 33. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said curing ordrying step includes at least one of oven drying, ultraviolet treatment,ambient air drying and radio frequency treatment.
 34. A method asdefined in claim 1, additionally comprising: placing a segment of dryadhesive film onto said cylindrical outer surface of said cylindricalmember before said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve is placed ontosaid cylindrical member, said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve thusbeing located over said segment of dry adhesive film on said cylindricalouter surface of said cylindrical member; wherein said dry adhesive filmmelts at least in part and fuses with said base fabric.
 35. A method asdefined in claim 1, wherein said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve hasedges located at said first and second ends thereof, said methodadditionally comprising: combing said pile of said tubular knitted pilefabric sleeve extending from said integral core member; shearing saidpile of said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve extending from saidintegral core member to the desired length; beveling said edges of saidtubular knitted pile fabric sleeve extending from said integral coremember; and vacuuming said pile of said knitted pile fabric extendingfrom said integral core member.
 36. A method as defined in claim 1,additionally comprising: cutting said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeveextending from said integral core member into a plurality of unfinishedpaint roller covers each of a desired length; combing said pile of saidknitted pile fabric on said unfinished paint roller covers; shearingsaid pile of said knitted pile fabric on said unfinished paint rollercovers to the desired length; beveling said edges of said unfinishedpaint roller covers; and vacuuming said pile of said unfinished paintroller covers.
 37. A paint roller cover that is manufactured accordingto the method defined in claim
 1. 38. A method of manufacturing a paintroller cover, comprising: providing a tubular knitted pile fabric sleevehaving a first end and a second end, said tubular knitted pile fabricsleeve comprising: a base fabric having a tubular configuration definingan outside and an inside; and pile strands knitted into said base fabricand extending outwardly from said base fabric to form the pile of saidtubular knitted pile fabric sleeve; wherein at least one of said basefabric and said pile strands comprise a bicomponent fiber having a firstmaterial and a second material, wherein said first material has a lowermelting point than said second material; preheating a mandrel heatingassembly to a temperature that is sufficient to cause said first andsaid third material to melt; placing the heating tube with the tubularknitted pile fabric sleeve located thereupon onto the mandrel heatingassembly to heat said base fabric to cause at least a portion of saidfirst material to melt and fuse said base fabric and pile strandstogether to thereby create a cylindrical integral core member; applyingat least one layer of liquid adhesive to an inside surface of saidcylindrical integral core member of said tubular knitted pile fabricsleeve; and curing or drying said layer of liquid adhesive to form asubstantially rigid layer on said inside surface of said cylindricalintegral core member of said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve.
 39. Amethod as defined in claim 38, wherein said liquid adhesive is apolyurethane adhesive.
 40. A method as defined in claim 39, wherein saidcured or dried layer of polyurethane adhesive is substantiallyimpermeable to water.
 41. A method of manufacturing a paint rollercover, comprising: providing a tubular knitted pile fabric sleevecomprising: a tubular base fabric; and extending outwardly pile strandsknitted into said base fabric, at least one of said tubular base fabricand said pile strands including at least in part a bicomponent material;placing said tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve onto a cylindricalmember; and heating said base fabric to cause said first bicomponentmaterial to melt at least in part and fuse together so that, whencooled, said tubular base fabric remains in a cylindrical configuration;applying at least one layer of liquid adhesive to an inside surface ofsaid cylindrical integral core member of said tubular knitted pilefabric sleeve; and curing or drying said layer of liquid adhesive toform a substantially rigid layer on said inside surface of saidcylindrical integral core member of said tubular knitted pile fabricsleeve.
 42. A paint roller cover, comprising: a pile formed of pilestrands knitted into and extending outwardly from a base fabric having atubular configuration defining an outside and an inside, at least one ofsaid pile strands and said base fabric comprising fiber constructed of afirst material and a second material, wherein said first material has alower melting point than said second material, said pile and said basefabric together comprising a tubular knitted pile fabric sleeve; and acylindrical integral core member formed by placing said tubular knittedpile fabric sleeve onto a cylindrical member having a cylindrical outersurface with said inside of said base fabric in contact with said outersurface of said cylindrical member and heating said base fabric to causeat least a portion of said first material to melt and fuse said basefabric and pile strands together, and applying a liquid adhesive layerto an inside surface of said integral core member, said cylindricalintegral core member having sufficient rigidity to preserve itscylindrical configuration.